Historians: Hiba Ahmad, Anna Densmore, John Ryan, Jeremy Shaw
Founding of the City- Jeremy Shaw
Sitting on the left bank of the Queiq River, surrounded by eights, lies the castle which would represent the heart of Ancient Aleppo. While its actual founding is surrounded in mystery and underneath the, now war-torn, modern city of Aleppo. Nonetheless, the earliest possible mention of Aleppo is in the Ebla tablets and referred to the city as Ha-lam. Some historians also identify Ha-lam as the capital of the kingdom Armi, who was closely related to Elba. Both Ebla and Armi would be later destroyed by Naram-Sin of Akkad in the 23rd century BC, however other historians debate whether or not Aleppo was Ha-lam, as Aleppo was also referred to as Hadad for the main temple to the storm god Hadad.
It is later, during the Old Babylonian period, that Aleppo’s original name of Halab (Halba) appears for the first time. It was the capital of the Amorite kingdom of Yamhad, a powerhouse in the area at the time. Towards the beginning of the 16th Century, the Hittites would bring the kingdom into its empire by force. From then on, until the collapse of the Hittites, Aleppo would be the center of worship of their storm-god, Hadad. It is unclear if this god was different from the other.
General History of the City – Anna
- Aleppo was conquered by the Hittites under the rule of Mursili. Mursili was the grandson of Hattusili. Mursili was continuing the territorial expansion into Syria that his grandfather had started.
- Later, after the city was under the rule of new kings it began reasserting itself in the area and it looked like a new kingdom was beginning. The new kingdom would have stood in the way of the Mitanni’s expansion into Syria.
- The Mitanni empire took control of Aleppo of its king Ilim-ilimma died and his sons went into hiding. It is likely that the king that was placed on the throne was only a figurehead for the Mitanni.
- Ilim-ilimma’s youngest son eventually returned and made a treaty with King Parrattarna of the Mitannian people. The treaty gave him the kingship of the area around Aleppo under the rule of King Parrattarna.
- Though of reduced importance, Aleppo was still a desirable city. The Hittites began a campaign to take the city. In an attempt to preserve the city the ruler changed alliances. This backfired on him and led his former ally to take the city and put the king to death.
- Mitanni rule in Aleppo was ended when the Hittites, under the leadership of Suppiluliuma, took over the city.
- Aleppo’s golden age in commerce took place in the 15th and 15th Centuries.
- Changes in trading routes, such as taking goods by sea, did not stop Aleppo from being a center of trade. That change came with the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869.
- While it stayed a trading center under the Mamluks, and later the Ottoman Turks it later became the administrative post for the province.
Intriguing Features and Events
Al-Halawiyah Madrasa– Hiba Ahmad
The Al-Halawiyah Madrasa in Aleppo Syria was originally a cathedral of Saint Helena, and in the early 12th century, it became a mosque, and then later on was converted into a Madrasa, a school for Islamic teachings. Because of these changes, the architecture is a mix of Byzantine and Islamic influences, symbolic of the rich and diverse culture of Aleppo, a trading city.
The Citadel of Aleppo – Anna
The definition of a citadel tells that they were built as fortresses and strongholds. Aleppo’s citadel was built during the Ayyubid era and was almost 50 meters tall. It stood over the city and filled a variety of roles within the city. It served as the royal palace, the government building, mosque, and as a fortress. By filling so many roles the citadel was assured to be a place of importance in the town. The citadel was damaged by various means over the years. It suffered and endured through an earthquake, bombings, and an explosion. Rebuilt on more than one occasion the citadel continued to endure through the years.
Retrieved from https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Citadel_of_Aleppo.jpg
Temple of the Storm God
Underneath the Citadel lies the remains of the storm god Hadad’s temple. The oldest parts are dated to the 3rd millennium BCE and shows multiple renovations throughout the 2nd millennium to the temple. A once prominent feature of the temple was a tall tower that would’ve been seen reigning above the city.
Al-Madina Souq
The Al-Madina Souq is a large covered marketplace in Aleppo that is known for being the largest historical market of its kind. The souq is comprised of numerous connected markets specializing in goods such as silk, leather, jewelry, and textiles. Located entirely within the walled city, the souq was comprised of over 1000 market stalls and 13 km of covered walkway. Aleppo’s strategic location along the silk road made the Al-Madina Souq an important trading destination from Europe to China. The Souq also historically hosted consulates and foreign traders within specialized quarters. Unfortunately, like much of historical Aleppo, Al-Madina souq has been seriously damaged by the Syrian Civil War.
Visit Our Home!- John Ryan
Come see Aleppo, the crossroads of the ancient world! We are well fortified, historically diverse, and have one of the largest covered bazaars in the world. Aleppo has changed hands more than a hot potato and has the ancient architecture to prove it; whether you prefer Hittite, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, or Ayyubid architectural elements there is (was) something for you in our ancient city! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9IGyFxLX5Y
Later and Modern History- Hiba Ahmad
Aleppo has been conquered and reconquered many times by varying cultural groups including the Hittites, Assyrians, Arabs, Mongols, Mamelukes, and Ottomans, who have all left their archeological marks on the city. It has been an important trading city throughout time, and in the mid 16th century became home to many European merchants due to its valued position in the trading route. Aleppo was a place where Christians, Muslims, and the Jewish community were able to relatively peacefully live together under Ottoman rule for four centuries. In the early 20th century, Aleppo was taken over by the French, who divided Syria into three parts, disrupting Aleppo’s role as a trading hub. After lengthy negotiations between the Syrian and French governments, Syria won their independence in 1943, and elected their first president. Since then, the government and the people have frequently clashed, especially over religious ideology, which came to a head in 2011 when the army shot anti regime protestors. Syria is now engaged in a civil war, with Aleppo being a particularly important city in the struggle between the government and rebel forces as it was the last city still occupied by a substantial amount of rebel forces, with the rebel forces in Western Aleppo gaining support from the U.S, and the government located in Eastern Aleppo receiving support from Russia. After nearly 8 years, the government managed to defeat rebel forces in 2016, and the city is slowly being rebuilt, with displaced refugees and civilians able to return to their home. Aleppo continues to be an important city even today, and time will reveal more of its importance down the line.
Bibliography
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Tabbaa, Y. (1993). Circles of Power: Palace, Citadel, and City in Ayyubid Aleppo. Ars Orientalis, 23, 181-200. Retrieved April 9, 2020, from www.jstor.org/stable/4629448
Tharoor, I. (2012, July 27). Brief History of Aleppo: A Great World City Now in the Grip of War. Retrieved from https://world.time.com/2012/07/27/brief-history-of-aleppo-a-great-world-city-now-in-the-grip-of-war/
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WMU HIST 3495: Ancient Near Eastern History 
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